This is a study guide commentary, which means that you are responsible for your own interpretation of the Bible. Each of us must walk in the light we have. You, the Bible, and the Holy Spirit are priority in interpretation. You must not relinquish this to a commentator.

Read the chapter in one sitting. Identify the subjects. Compare your subject divisions with the five translations above. Paragraphing is not inspired, but it is the key to following the original author's intent, which is the heart of interpretation. Every paragraph has one and only one subject.

1. First paragraph

2. Second paragraph

3. Third paragraph

4. Etc.

WORD AND PHRASE STUDY

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 23:1-161Now Sarah lived one hundred and twenty-seven years; these were the years of the life of Sarah. 2Sarah died in Kiriath-arba (that is, Hebron) in the land of Canaan; and Abraham went in to mourn for Sarah and to weep for her. 3Then Abraham rose from before his dead, and spoke to the sons of Heth, saying, 4"I am a stranger and a sojourner among you; give me a burial site among you that I may bury my dead out of my sight." 5The sons of Heth answered Abraham, saying to him, 6"Hear us, my lord, you are a mighty prince among us; bury your dead in the choicest of our graves; none of us will refuse you his grave for burying your dead." 7So Abraham rose and bowed to the people of the land, the sons of Heth. 8And he spoke with them, saying, "If it is your wish for me to bury my dead out of my sight, hear me, and approach Ephron the son of Zohar for me, 9that he may give me the cave of Machpelah which he owns, which is at the end of his field; for the full price let him give it to me in your presence for a burial site." 10Now Ephron was sitting among the sons of Heth; and Ephron the Hittite answered Abraham in the hearing of the sons of Heth; even of all who went in at the gate of his city, saying, 11"No, my lord, hear me; I give you the field, and I give you the cave that is in it. In the presence of the sons of my people I give it to you; bury your dead." 12And Abraham bowed before the people of the land. 13He spoke to Ephron in the hearing of the people of the land, saying, "If you will only please listen to me; I will give the price of the field, accept it from me that I may bury my dead there." 14Then Ephron answered Abraham, saying to him, 15"My lord, listen to me; a piece of land worth four hundred shekels of silver, what is that between me and you? So bury your dead." 16Abraham listened to Ephron; and Abraham weighed out for Ephron the silver which he had named in the hearing of the sons of Heth, four hundred shekels of silver, commercial standard.

23:1 The rabbis say that when Abraham returned home and told Sarah what he had done, in response she issued seven loud cries and died. Her death is recorded in chapter 23. Whether this is true or not, we can certainly see where the rabbis got their interpretation!

23:2 "Kiriath-arba" This name (BDB 900) is made up of

1."Kiriath" means "city"

2."Arba"

a.usually translated "city of four" (i.e., Anak and his three sons or four villages together)

▣ "Abraham went in to mourn Sarah and weep for her" One wonders how long this mourning and negotiating with the locals lasted. The body of Sarah would deteriorate quickly in this climate (see the chapter on Death and Funeral Rites" in Ancient Israel: Social Institutions, vol. 1 by Roland deVaux, pp 56-61). Today in Israel (which still does not embalm) one must be buried within twenty four hours.

23:3-13 What follows through the rest of the chapter is a record of the dialogue (using formalized and standard Oriental customs) between the local inhabitants near Hebron and Abraham. Note the formalities expressed in imperatives (note paragraphing of TEV).

2."a sojourner" (BDB 444) is an alien just passing through with no legal rights, Lev. 22:10; 25:40

Possibly taken together, they imply someone who moved into an unsettled area, but did not own land. See article on "Resident Aliens" in Ancient Israel: Social Institutions, vol. 1, by Roland deVaux, pp. 74-76.

23:6 "you are a mighty prince" The term translated "mighty" is the term elohim (BDB 43), which can be used of

1.God

2.judges

3.angels

4.here denoting a powerful, local, family leader

The translation "mighty" comes from the root meaning of el (BDB 42, cf. I Chr. 12:22; Ps. 68:15; Jonah 3:3). Some commentators want to translate it "prince of God."

In this highly stylized negotiation this is a polite title of respect. The Hittites are not making a religious statement.

23:9 "the cave of Machpelah" This seems to be a cave (common burial place) located in the district of Machpelah, an outlying region from Hebron toward Mamre (cf. 13:18; 14:13; 18:1).

Several of Abraham's family were buried here.

1.Sarah, 23:19

2.Abraham, 25:9

3.Isaac, 35:29

4.Rebekah and Leah, 49:31

5.Jacob, 50:13

23:10 "at the gate" This would have been the place where local leaders met for fellowship, commerce, and legal matters.

▣ "the Hittite" See Special Topic at 12:6.

23:15 "shekels" See Special Topic: Ancient Near Eastern Weights and Volumes at 18:6

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 23:17-2017So Ephron's field, which was in Machpelah, which faced Mamre, the field and cave which was in it, and all the trees which were in the field, that were within all the confines of its border, were deeded over 18to Abraham for a possession in the presence of the sons of Heth, before all who went in at the gate of his city. 19After this, Abraham buried Sarah his wife in the cave of the field at Machpelah facing Mamre (that is, Hebron) in the land of Canaan. 20So the field and the cave that is in it, were deeded over to Abraham for a burial site by the sons of Heth.

23:17 "were deeded over" The verb (BDB 877, KB 1086, Qalimperfect) means to raise or stand up. It came to refer to legal transactions as being established. Abraham now officially owned land in Palestine/Canaan. He was no longer a sojourner and alien.

Bob was born in 1947 in Houston, Texas. He is married to the former Peggy Rutta and they have three children and six grandchildren. He has earned degrees from East Texas Baptist College, Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, and Trinity Evangelical Divinity School and has done post-graduat... More